Xoom SNAFU delays Honeycomb tablet launches

Aharon Etengoff, 15th April 2011

According to DigiTimes, Google has allegedly failed to resolve a number of issues affecting Android 3.0, including brand image, pricing, lack of apps and "unstable" OS performance.

As such, Asus is postponing the launch of its Eee Pad Transformer tablets (16GB and 32GB ), while HTC delays the volume production date of its Flyer devices.

Industry analyst Rob Enderle told TG Daily that Motorola took a definite loss with the Xoom, which only sold a "small fraction" of what was originally anticipated and nearly put the company on "death watch."

"The Xoom's lesson is that the market will not accept an incomplete product and the vendors are rethinking their offerings in an effort to keep from relearning this costly lesson," he explained.

"They are increasingly frustrated with Google's continued release of incomplete products, uncertain roadmap and unwillingness to listen to their requests for help and support."

Enderle also emphasized that Google clearly needed to revise its Android strategy immediately.

"Because until they can get a better handle on how to give buyers what they want and work around Google (or find a replacement for them), vendors are moving to delay their products - as none of them can afford a public failure like Xoom."

Update: HTC insists its tablet roadmap "remains unchanged," but refuses to confirm a timetable for the Flyer rollout.